Sorry if this is off topic but you should keep unwanted stuff close to zero if you want to use any laptop/desktop for programming.
Most laptops come bundled with stuff that I will never use but they keep running in the background and eat system resources.
I would uninstall them the moment i know its not needed. We also install few programs and then forget to remove them even when we stop using.
So if you want to get out the most of the system you have, keep it bare minimum to your needs.

If I understand the spec correctly, the maximum RAM this machine will take is 4GB, but Windows 8 64-bit can handle much more than that. So if the 4GB hardware limit is real, it means you can't expand the RAM to take advantage of having a 64 bit operating system. You might want to check this, as increasing your RAM is often a cheap way of getting extra performance out of a PC or extending its life when new versions of your software demand extra RAM.

No more Blub for me, thank you, Vicar.

Sjaak Hendriks
Greenhorn

Joined: Jul 20, 2013
Posts: 8

posted Aug 09, 2013 11:37:39

0

chris webster wrote:One potential problem...

If I understand the spec correctly, the maximum RAM this machine will take is 4GB, but Windows 8 64-bit can handle much more than that. So if the 4GB hardware limit is real, it means you can't expand the RAM to take advantage of having a 64 bit operating system. You might want to check this, as increasing your RAM is often a cheap way of getting extra performance out of a PC or extending its life when new versions of your software demand extra RAM.

Yes that is correct, but I only intend to use it for programming, so i don't think I would ever need to upgrade it.

Sjaak Hendriks wrote:Yes that is correct, but I only intend to use it for programming, so i don't think I would ever need to upgrade it.

Don't underestimate the RAM needs of the software you are using to program. If you are using an IDE, like Eclipse, that uses a lot of RAM. And you may want to run Tomcat and/or a database locally. More RAM.

I always upgrade the RAM as soon as I buy a laptop since that becomes the thing that constrains me on programming on it over time.

Sjaak Hendriks wrote:Yes that is correct, but I only intend to use it for programming, so i don't think I would ever need to upgrade it.

Don't underestimate the RAM needs of the software you are using to program. If you are using an IDE, like Eclipse, that uses a lot of RAM. And you may want to run Tomcat and/or a database locally. More RAM.

I always upgrade the RAM as soon as I buy a laptop since that becomes the thing that constrains me on programming on it over time.

Sjaak Hendriks wrote:So it would be advisable to go for more RAM over a faster CPU?

Yes. Very much so.

Unless..

It's a lot easier to add more RAM than to upgrade the CPU. So it depends upon whether you will have the funds to upgrade RAM shortly. If you are never going to upgrade anything in the system, go for memory over CPU. But if you can get a faster CPU now, and add more RAM later, then that might be the best way to go over the long haul.

Decisions, decisions...

Sjaak Hendriks
Greenhorn

Joined: Jul 20, 2013
Posts: 8

posted Aug 09, 2013 13:23:02

0

Hey guys, thank for the advice again i decided on the laptop I want.
I ordered this one for only 100 euros more then my original choice with way better specs.

Hope you enjoy your new computer! My main machine at home is a Toshiba i5 laptop with 8GB RAM, which is great for development, and I've found Toshiba machines to be good value for money and pretty reliable.

And you'll appreciate the extra memory. For example, on my PC at work I can easily use up 3GB just running Eclipse, a local database and a web app server or two. Unfortunately, my employer regards Windows XP (plus Lotus bloody Notes) as the ideal working platform for the development staff ( ), so we can't add any more memory even if they'd pay for it....

Sjaak Hendriks
Greenhorn

Joined: Jul 20, 2013
Posts: 8

posted Aug 10, 2013 10:23:12

0

chris webster wrote:Hope you enjoy your new computer! My main machine at home is a Toshiba i5 laptop with 8GB RAM, which is great for development, and I've found Toshiba machines to be good value for money and pretty reliable.

And you'll appreciate the extra memory. For example, on my PC at work I can easily use up 3GB just running Eclipse, a local database and a web app server or two. Unfortunately, my employer regards Windows XP (plus Lotus bloody Notes) as the ideal working platform for the development staff ( ), so we can't add any more memory even if they'd pay for it....